Threats of Islamic Terrorists and Ebola Used to Push for Border Shut Down

California Congressman Claims Islamic Terrorists Crossing via Mexico Border

According to California Congressman Duncan Hunter, at least ten Islamic State fighters have crossed into the U.S. from Mexico. On Tuesday in an interview with Greta Van Susteren of Fox News, Congressman Hunter claimed that ISIS fighters have been caught at the border in Texas. When asked for a source, Hunter said that he "asked the border patrol about it."

This claim has been categorically denied by the Department of Homeland Security, the department in charge of Customs and Border Protection and Border Patrol. According to a DHS spokesman, "the suggestion that individuals who have ties to ISIL have been apprehended at the Southwest border is categorically false, and not supported by any credible statement."

According to Congressman Hunter, because the terrorist group does not have a navy, air force or nuclear weapons, "the only way that Americans are going to be harmed by radical Islamists is by them coming across the border...is by having an open southern border." He later went on to say that if five or ten have been caught, then dozens more must have already crossed without getting caught.

The interview ended abruptly after this comment, and Congressman Hunter later issued a statement saying that it is "more accurate to say people with known associations" crossed, and not actual "fighters."

As the saying goes, "everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." The fact is that there is no indication that Islamic terrorists fighters are funneling into the U.S. via its southern border. Wouldn't it be more worthwhile to focus on legitimate threats such as the confirmed fact that at least 300 U.S. passport holders have known associations to the Islamic State and terrorist groups.

In reality, if terrorist groups were to start funneling in through U.S. borders, what would make the Mexican border more viable than the Canadian border, and why haven't we heard politicians pushing to seal off the more porous U.S./Canadian border? And, what would make any border more viable than a a direct flight into the U.S. by a U.S. passport holder?

The threat of Islamic terrorists crossing into the U.S. from Mexico is yet another unsubstantiated claim in a long series of "reasons why we should seal off the border." These threats increasingly have little to do with actual immigration concerns, or logic, such as the recently circulated threat of Ebola making its way across the U.S.'s southern border, and sealing off the border until Mexico releases former Marine Sergeant Andrew Tahmooressi. Far from making any progress in making the U.S. safer from threats, or in expediting a sovereign country's judicial process, these unsubstantiated claims trivialize what are actually very serious concerns unrelated to the U.S./Mexico border entirely.

This morning, Thomas Duncan, the first Ebola patient diagnosed in the United States died in Dallas, Texas. It is insulting to Mexico for the U.S. media and politicians to push for the U.S./Mexico border to be closed off over the threat of Ebola, when in fact the only Ebola case to have ever arrived in the U.S. flew on a plane directly into the country. In light of this death, should Mexico close its border off with the U.S. now that one person has died from Ebola? That would be much more reasonable than the U.S. sealing off its border with Mexico, where there have been no deaths or reports of Ebola infected patients.

Of course, neither case would be logical at this point, and the push to seal off the border with Mexico because of Ebola, or Islamic terrorist fighters, or a former marine sitting in jail, is insulting, illogical, and irresponsible.

VIDEO : Interview with Duncan Hunter

borderzonie@gmail.com

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